Belt loading device for subcaliber ammunition



May 20, 1947. c. E. HOSKINS BELT LOADING DEVICE FOR SUB-CALIBER AMMUNITION Filed Oct. 17, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet l ay 20, 1947. c. E. HOSKINS 2,420,664

BELT LOADING DEVICE FOR SUBCALIBER AMMUNITION Filed Oct. 17, 1.945 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Shast er E .Hus Kins y c. E. HOSKINS 2,420,664

BELT LOADING DEVICE FOR SUB-CALIBER AMMUNITION Filed Oct. 1'7, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 0 Chester E.Hc151cins y 1947; c. E. HOSKINS 2,420,664

BELT LOADING DEVICE FOR SUB-CALIBER AMMUNITION Filed Oct. 17, 1945 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwuwm III-LE 5T2? E. HIII Exit-LE Patented May 20, 1947 BELT LGADING DEVICE FOR SUBCALIBER AMllIUNITION Chester E. Hoskins, Springfield, Mass.

Application October 17, 1945, Serial No. 622,914

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 14 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a loading device for ammunition belts and is directed more particularly to an apparatus for facilitating the loading of sub-caliber ammunition into machine gun belts.

The loading of machine gun ammunition belts has been such a slow, labor-consuming job, that to a considerable extent, the potential saving of using lower cost ammunition has been neutralized and a big labor and time element has been added.

In loading ammunition belts to fire sub-caliber ammunition, for example, a cal. .30 belt with cal. .22 ammunition, as heretofore practiced, the empty cal. .22 cartridge cases are ejected from cartridge holders by hand, fresh cal. .22 cartridges are inserted in the holders and then seated, and the loaded holders are loaded into adapters preassembled to the belts, a total of four operations.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple and efiicient means for loading sub-caliber ammunition units into standard caliber machine gun belts.

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine for assembling sub-caliber ammunition units.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a novel machine for ejecting spent caliber .22 cartridge cases from caliber .30 holders, inserting unspent cartridges, seating same and assembling the loaded holders into adapters in appropriate caliber .30 ammunition belts, ready for feeding into a machine gun.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of an assembled belt loading device for sub-caliber ammunition constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an isometric View of the base portion of the loading device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged scale elevational view of the cartridge holder ejection and loading elements shown with the operating member in a partially retracted position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the operating member in its forward position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the operating member in its completely retracted position. v

Fig. 6 is an isometric view of the cartridge tube latch.

Fig. 7 is an isometric View of the discharge chute and latch for the ejected cartridge cases.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged scale fragmentary elevational view showing .the pin and slot connection between the operating member and the belt feed slide.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the plane 9-9 of Fig.8.

Fig. 10 is an exploded view sub-caliber ammunition unit.

In Fig. 10 there is shown a typical sub-caliber ammunition unit comprising an adapter 72, cartridge holder 13 and sub-caliber cartridges 11.

In Fig. 1 is shown in assembled relation a belt loading device including a frame or base portion I having a cover plate Ill, a cartridge holder feed assembly 20, an ammunition feed assembly 30, an operating slide assembly 40, and a belt feed slide assembly 60.

The frame I is provided with one pair of horizontal, longitudinal, aligned slots 2 and 3 for slidably engaging operating slide assembly 40, and two pairs of horizontal transverse, aligned slots, one pair 4 and 5 for guiding the ammunition belt H, the other pair 6 and 1 for slidably engaging belt feed assembly 60.

Cover plate I0 is assembled to the frame b any conventional means such as screws II. It is provided with a longitudinally-extending slot l2 and a special shaped opening l3, as shown in Fig. 2, said slot l2 and opening [3 being in alignment, both with one another and with slots 2 and 3 in frame I. Also a smaller opening M is provided in the cover plate in alignment with slots 4 and 5 in frame I, as shown, for a purpose which will presently appear,

The cartridge holder feed assembly 20 consists of two guide bars or uprights 2| and 22 which are channeled as at 23 and 24 to slidably receive the ends of cartridge holders 13 (Fig. 4). A conventional feed hopper (not shown) may be supplied at the top of guide bars 2| and 22 if desired. These guide bars are assembled in vertical parallelism on cover plate [0 with the open sides of the -U-shaped channels 23 and 24 facing each other, defining a feed chute aligning with open- 3 adapted to slidably receive cartridge holders 13, which chamber is a continuation of opening l3. A plate 26 may be attached to upright bars 2i and 22 near their upper ends to hold them in spaced relation.

Horizontal coaxialholes 21 for ejecting spent cartridge cases 'arep'rovided through guide bars 2| and 22, aligning with the axis of a holder 13,

several holders up when holder feed assembly is filled. A single horizontal loading hole 28,,is

tridge case ejecting position.

A sloping chute 29 is provided. on theside of;

guide bar 22 just below hole '21 therein and within said chute a catch 29a (Fig. 7) is provided-for a purpose to be shown later.

The ammunition feed assembly36 includes van ammunition feed tube 3| leading from a con-' ventional cartridge feed hopper (not shown) and supported at an' angle by a bracket 32, said feed tube 3| curving adjacent its lower end to terminatefin a horizontal guide 33 -above a loading block 34. Loading block 34 is secured adjacent guideba'r. 22,. and is'provided with a loading groove 35in axial alignment withhole 23in guide bar 122.. 'Aspring latch 38 associated withloadingblockid intersects aslot 31-provided in feed tube 3 l Tadjacent guide'Stv andis adapted to there by retain the next cartridge H in ammunition feed tube? I andprevent said cartridge from sliding down into guide 33, except when said spring latch 36 is pressed out of the way by engagement with a shoulder 55 on lug on operatingjslide assembly .40,.a's will be described.

The operating.;slide. iassembly 404s carried by an operatingbar. or loadingme'mber 4| slidably' engagedinthe slots 2.and.3.

The .rightend portionof operating bar 4! as showninQFig; 3-;is undercut as .at42 providing therebyjashoulderABJ The left endportion as shown in'Fig. 3 is also undercut, as at l4, ther.eb y

providing a shoulder 45, and is overcut as at D QViding a' shoulder. 41.

In overcut flax-immediately adjacent shoulder 41 is provideda .trdughfitlin longitudinal alignment with .opening ,.I 3 in .cover plate I 6.- Trough- 48 is;,so..space,d.;on' operating .lbar 4 I- that when said bar isgin th'e extremerightposition, trough 4B is directly below op'enirigl3 in .positionto-r'e' cei ve a cartridge .holderiltherethrough The floor of overcut liiris provided with a cam. slot t95the purposepiwhichhll appear later- On; top; ofwope'rating. bar. 1H there is provided trida ca e ejector 54,..inaxial alignment with holes 7; throughguide bars. 2|. and .22. Cartridge, case ejector this .a rod-like. .member of such length that, when operating, .bar. H1 is at its; extreme righthand positionnfl 'igefi). said eject-- or. extends through holes. 21, in guide. bars .2 l and i 22. and proiects beyond guidbar. 22. a distance slightly greater. thanthe lengthiof. a caliber .22.

cartridgelcase'lfi. sothat rim 30.01? said case projectsg overi catch 2%a; .which engages cartridge case '19 tinder, said rim .80.,thereby. preventing reentry; of said cartridge. .case .19. .into. ,hole. .21: in

tio n pf operating; bar Al; cartridge,.case 19 ;in..

4 stead being released into chute 29 and guided by the latter into a suitabl receptacle (not shown).

The belt feed assembly 60 consists of a belt feed slide or carrier 6|, which is provided with a transverse recess 82. Arr upstanding stud 63 is providedwithin said recess 62 andiinassembled relation is engaged in cam slot 59 in operating bar 4|, being actuated thereby and accordingly biasing belt feed slide 6| outwardly when operating-bar l-lis;moved to the left (Fig. 4) and inwardly when said operating bar 4| is moved to the right (Fig 5). A belt feed pawl is pivotally secured in slot 64 against the thrust of a spring fiet soastomaintain said pawl 65 in engagement with ammunition belt 1 I Belt H is of conventional form but is pre-loaded with holder adapters l 2 whichreceive cartridge holders 13 in inserted. relation therein.

Belt feed. pawl 65 engages belt H between adapters 12, thereby conveying said belt inwardly the. distance or onepock et or cartridge receptacle thereof for each cycle ofmovernent. A belt holding pawl 68 is pivotally secjuredin belt hold= ing pawl bracket 6], said bracket being secured on cover plate Ill above opening l4 through which said pawl B8 -extends andis maintained in interference engagement with ammunitionbelt H by;

the thrust of a spring 69: The arrangement is such that member 68 will engage ammunition belt H and allow theadapters to slide thereunder when the belt- 'H ;is feeding butwill -prevent'reverse motion by engaging said belt H between adapters l2=when feed slide 61 is biased outward ly, said bracket (also serving as-a guidef for ejector carrier 52 (Figs. 3, 4. 5).

To initiate operation of the belt-loading device, the operating slidebar 4| 'is set-at the ex treme left as shown in Fig. 4, in whichposition shoulder 55 on lug 50-thereof-'is in engagement with spring latch 3B-on feeder block 34,1 thereby holding said spring away fromthe line of "flow; of cartridges Tl-in ammunition feed tvbbe 3lso that when the tube is filled withjcartridges, the bottom cartridge canpass into guide-33- and'be fresh cartridges with the bullet down;

Next, a plurality of cartridge holders 13' with fresh cartridges therein, sufiicient to include the 3 space next below loading hole 28 are placed -inthe cartridge holder-feed slide and then-a -pluralitybf empty-holders sufiicient to include-thespace nextbelowejector hole 21 are added; The

65.. The loader is hows ready;t'o operate;

by moving said bar 4| -from-right-to left. i

The first stage consistsof five :operations as follows:

First, ejector 54 passes longitudinally through-- the aligned cartridge holder.13,=-ejecting-the bar 22.;

Second, lug .59 i disengaged from springlatch next to guide33 from .entering therein.

Third, cartridge. plunger 45! ais' withdrawn -fromcartridge :loading .holez 28. :and. 'cartridgeloading The operating cycle is divided intotwo'stages thefirstbeing accomplished by moving operatingbar 4| from left to right (Fig. 5) and the second groove beneath guide 33, thereby allowing the cartridge 71 therein to drop into groove 35 in position to be impelled through loading hole 28 into assembly in the aligned cartridge holder 73. Spring latch 35 now in the retracted position in slot 3! has meanwhile maintained interference with the next cartridge, keeping it from pressing against the cartridge in guide 33 so that said cartridge in guide 33 was entirely free to drop into groove 35 when cartridge plunger 5! was withdrawn. V

Fourth, trough 53 is brought under and into alignment with special shaped opening l3 and the bottom loaded holder 13 drops therein, being retained in position to be impelled into the adapter 12 upon the next movement of operating bar 4 l.

The fifth and last part of this half of the operating cycle is the biasing inwardly of belt feed slide 6| by means of the engagement of stud 63 in cam slot ie, whereby belt feed pawl through engagement with belt H, as heretofore described impels said belt inwardly through slot 4 the distance of one adapter.

The second half of the operating cycle consists of moving operating bar ll to the left (reverse of first half), thereby accomplishing five operations as follows:

First, ejector 54 is withdrawn from holes 2? in guide bars 2| and 22 and from the holder 13 in alignment therewith. Cartridge case 79 being in engagement with catch 29a is prevented from re-entering hole El and hence drops off into chute 29 for conveyance into whatever receptacle may be provided.

Second, cartridge plunger :5! moves longitudinally through groove 35 impelling the cartridge Tl lying therein through hole 28 in upright 22 into the holder iii in alignment therewith, seating it therein.

Third, lug Ell engages spring latch 35, disengaging it from slot 3'! in feed tube 3i, and thereby allowing the bottom cartridge therein to move into guide 33.

Fourth, the cartridge holder 73 in trough i3 is conveyed forward and seated in the adapter 12 in alignment therewith, in belt i l.

Fifth, slide 6! is biased outwardly by the engagement of cam slot 49 and stud 63 while belt holding pawl 68 holds the ammunition belt H in location and belt feed-pawl E5 slips forwardly under the next adapter, coming to rest just forward of it in a position to impel the belt inwardly when operating bar 5! is again moved to the right. This completes the cycle of operation.

Operation can be by hand, in which case a handle of convenient form could be attached to one end of operating bar ii, or by a power driven member, connected by any convenient conventional means.

If hand operated, shoulders 433 and $5 on the under side of operating bar t! will serve as stops for limiting the motion of said bar, whereas, if machine operated, these shoulders can, if desired be eliminated, since machine operation makes the presence of stops unnecessary.

It is therefore evident that this invention provides a simple and efficient means for loading sub-caliber ammunition into machine gun belts. It shouldbe noted that portions of the machine described are capable of separate utility. For example, regular ammunition could be substituted for the cartridge holders, and, eliminating ejector 54, the machine utilized to load regular cartridges into the belt. Or the device may be operated without the belt to eject fired cartridges and load fresh cartridges into the cartridge holders.

I claim:

1. A machine for loading subcaliber ammunition in a belt comprising a reciprocable loading member, a feed chute adapted to receive a row of hollow cartridge holders, said feed chute having a discharging end disposed adjacent the path of said loading member whereby the foremost cartridge holder in said chute is positioned in the path of forward movement of said loading member, means for successively positioning a fresh cartridge in alignment with and behind a cartridge holder following the foremost cartridge holder, said loading member having a portion thereof arranged to engage such fresh cartridge to move it forwardly into assembly in said aligned cartridge holder concurrently as the foremost cartridge holder is moved forwardly by said loading member, a belt carrier movably mounted on the machine and adapted to successively position the cartridge receiving pockets of an ammunition belt in front of the foremost cartridge holder and in alignment with the path of said loading member, and means for operating said belt carrier in response to reciprocal movement of said loading member whereby each reciprocation of said loading member inserts said foremost cartridge holder in the ammunition belt and assembles a fresh cartridge in a following cartridge holder.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 plus an ejecting plunger connected to said loading member and arranged to project into said feed chute during each cycle of said loading member, said ejecting plunger being adapted to be insertable in a cartridge holder and arranged to enter into a cartridge holder at a position in said row behind the cartridge holder aligned with said fresh cartridge positioning means, thereby ejecting any fired cartridge from such cartridge holder.

3. A machine for assembling subcaliber ammunition comprising a reciprocable loading member, a feed chute adapted to receive a row of hollow cartridge holders, said feed chute having a discharging end disposed adjacent the path of said loading member whereby the foremost cartridge holder in said chute is positioned in the path of forward movement of said loading member, means for successively positioning a fresh cartridge in alignment with and behind a cartridge holder following the foremost cartridge holder, said loading member having a portion thereof arranged to engage such fresh cartridge to move it forwardly into assembly in said aligned cartridge holder concurrently as the foremost cartridge holder is moved forwardly by said loading member, an ejecting plunger connected to said loading member and arranged to project into said feed chute during each cycle of said loading member, said ejecting plunger being adapted to be insertable in a cartridge holder and arranged to enter into a, cartrid e holder at a position in the row behind the cartridge holder aligned with said fresh cartridge positioning means, whereby each cycle of movement of said loading member ejects any fired cartridge from one cartridge holder in the stack, loads a fresh cartridge into a preceding cartridge holder, and moves the foremost loaded cartridge holder out of said stack.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 plus a latch positioned adjacent the path of said ejecting plunger, said latch being constructed and aramass h of said oper o er le meim e f z .l,

er hem-a115,; disposed; elative to said movemerit ymemam a forward loading stfdke opehifig adj eemtlie path of said operating sai'dsta ck'"is"dis1i0Sed 'adjace'rifthe' path cf said operating member; sai'q 'operatingmember hay ing"afi1'-st-'portion there'df engageable with such st'rok'cifisaid"operating member to'rnov'e the bottcmwartridge-"h0lder' out of said"sta'ck, air ammuhitiontubemountd on said 'base in gen: 81131113? vertic'al" relation" and adapte'd 130 support discharge opefiing'drsp'osedreartvardly of said feed chute; -overlyihgthepathbf said operating" member, and in alignment with" a cartridge" holder insa-id f eed' chute lobat'e'd' above the" bot-' t0m""ca-rtridge "holder-,7 said operating" 7 member having a secondportion'thereof arranged to enaserth ;h m'qar r dee in a ub fi n the. rwar l d ng ke 9f iee te iee m mbe eq es u b Pa tridge nto; th s id. al ed.

cartridge hqlder eoxicprrentlyas t l e bjottom can 7 m mbiw 1 into" assembly 'in arrimunitioli .e1t ,,;an m-; mqnition tubempiintedcr lsaid lease in generallyl ciprccal movement qf said o15 'er'atir1g member whereby each: 'l eci prdeaitidr f ,ot said opleifatirii said secprijdf gortion' of said" operating. memper; therebyjejctinany discharged cartridge out "of e t ri' ee .hxeld rr latcfi'ppsiticned' adjacent the path'loff'saici uni, projection; 1said' latch being 'constn ct ed ,a

sad]. t f ea the rimiof. a disc ar ed s ttings ejected by said unloading projection tc preventretuljri moverrientof such cax'ftrfidgelk 9. The combination defined in claim 8 up1usfaj spring member normally disposed relative .tp' said ammunitiprij." tiibe to prevent the bcttoin', fresh cartridge r ugeirow from entlring's aid mpe dis: cha ge op ening'gand me'ans'lcn said Qperating nie mbler gfoflmqying, said, spring member Qutjpf sammbe dischargeopening once in each'cycle of said operating member.

a sp'iing member; normally dispbs'ed relative gtq said ammunition f tube to; prevent. the "bottom, fres h' ga'rtridge Of th'e' ro w fro' m"v entering said tub'e dis chjarge'openirigjand means on saidbpe'rating V member for moving said spring "member 10111; of said tube dischargefvippepir ig once' in each 'cycle' of "saidopeiatmggmember.

11. A bjelt 10 m machine"coxii risii ibae,

an operating member SIidabIy 'nIQI mted; on said base for reciprocal movement includin'as'for s pq fi 1a stack ofcartridge holders, said, feed; ch ite hai i rigfa' discharge op pmg adjacent the path of said Operating Tnember wh rebymeboe tom car tridge holder ,Qfsaid stack is disposed operating me I beijhaving" a first portior'l thereof engageable 'tvithsu'ch bottom cartridge holder on j the f grw ar d loading strokejgf said0pratii1g t ne /e the olt. mjcert i eehq d'e vertical 'r' elatiodan'd adapted 'tols upportf a row qt fresh; cartridgesfl aiij tube having 'a discharge opergin "disposed i rearwardly of said freed ,chute,'

ov'ei l ewe-pa 9 si p e rafin m mber/am...

in'align exit 'Witha cartridgfiholdei"in said feed,

e r he meme oge 'r'ati ng 'mengbgerl to mblie such 'cai't'rifll l Lin'to, theaijd aligh ed cartridge, holder; and' mfea'ns "for; operatin'gsaid' belt carrier in sp ns'smg -j memb' nserts said forejrrios't' cartridge holderiir i f thjea tib 1t mbles fa fresh'fiar tniige 1n affollox i ne n 12; 'A" belt loading machine c mprjsinga base;

e me ei f li isi'fa eerwrd r'efi i lstii lfl wisedfl li e, ewebl mem Mn. s dtb s for .reciprqcaple mqverr ent transverse to the path 1 V abe of f eli lead "S m." mea s or e pm-v.

fiil lse d t .fe f liq r nbn ejt 'mQ -a ee p seisl. e e esh emhea te t mea s on said beIt feed slide adapted te erlg age arrimuri'i'tiori'- belt," wherebi the cartridge receptacles of such belt are successively positioned by said belt feed slide in alignment with the path of said operating member, a generally vertical feed chute mounted on said base, said feed chute being adapted to support a stack of cartridge holders, said feed chute having a discharge opening adjacent the path of said operating member whereby the bottom cartridge holder of said stack is disposed in the path of said operating member rearwardly of said belt feed slide, said operating member having a first portion thereof engageable with such bottom cartridge holder on the forward loading stroke of said operating member to move the bottom cartridge holder into assembly in said ammunition belt, an ammunition tube mounted on said base in generally vertical relation and adapted to support a row of fresh cartridges, said tube having a discharge opening disposed rearwardly of said feed chute, overlying the path of said operating member, and in alignment with a cartridge holder in said feed chute located above said bottom cartridge holder, said operating member having a second portion thereof arranged to engage the bottom cartridge in said tube on the forward loading stroke of said operating member to move such cartridge into the said aligned cartridge holder, and an unloading projection on said operating member arranged to pass during the rearward return stroke of said operating member through a cartridge holder in thestack thereof at a higher level than said second portion of said operating member, thereby ejecting any discharged cartridge out of the cartridge holder.

13. The combination defined in claim 12 plus a latch positioned adjacent the path of said unloading projection, said latch being constructed and arranged to engage the rim of a discharged cartridge ejected by said unloading projection to prevent return movement of such cartridge.

14. The combination defined in claim 12 plus a spring member normally disposed relative to said ammunition tube to prevent the bottom fresh cartridge of the row from entering said tube discharge opening, and means on said operating member for moving said spring member out of said tube discharge opening once in each cycle of said operating member.

CHESTER E. HOSKINS. 

